The Conservation Tree Planting

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1 Spring 2016 Issue #58 Contents: Comments from the State Forester... 2 New Employees... 3 Clean Water... 3 Forester Highlight... 4 Prepare for the Spring Fire Season... 6 What s a Sawyer?... 7 Calendar of Events... 8 Order Seedlings Now The Conservation Tree Planting Program provides seedlings and technical assistance for conservation plantings. Conservation plantings can be for a variety of purposes, such as windbreaks, riparian buffers, wildlife, woodlot, and educational programs. Trees help protect livestock, reduce heat or winter winds, clean rivers, and provide many more benefits to landowners and wildlife. Conservation tree distribution takes place in early fall and throughout the spring, paralleling the best times for planting. These plantings help preserve Kansas lands and livelihoods. These seedlings are 1 to 2 years old, and sizes vary from 8 to 18 inches, depending on the species. The minimum order is 25 bare-root or container-grown seedlings. Bundles and other items must be ordered in whole units. Bare-root seedling units are $20 for 25 seedlings, and container-grown are $50 for 25 seedlings. Sales tax and shipping and handling are not included. The prices of bundles vary based on the number of seedlings ordered. Orders will be accepted through May 2. Order as soon as possible to ensure receiving the items you Mark Haller, conservation specialist with the Kansas Forest Service. need. You can order online at kfs.mybigcommerce.com. Orders also can be placed by phone at Order forms may be mailed to the Kansas Forest Service, 2610 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS Order forms are available at your local K-State Research and Extension office, Natural Resources Conservation Service office, conservation district office, and on our website Orders are available for delivery or pick-up starting mid-march as weather permits, and will continue through the first Friday of May. Be sure to submit your correct shipping address, P.O. box addresses are not acceptable for shipping. If you wish to pick up your order at the Manhattan office, you may do so at 2610 Claflin Road. Please call before arriving to ensure the items you ordered are on hand. Our pick-up hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please call , or kfs@ksu.edu with any questions. Leah Scott, Conservation Forester, promotes and assists with the Conservation Tree Planting Program for the Kansas Forest Service.

2 Comments from the State Forester Larry Biles, State Forester, Kansas Forest Service. Newsletter Publication Information: Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service State Forester: Larry Biles Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association Celebrates 50 Years Over the last several years, the Kansas Forest Service has had the privilege of working with Kansas Christmas tree growers. Through that relationship, we ve assisted in the formation of the Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association, and recently helped the association celebrate its 50th anniversary. Two historical documents served as foundation for the 50-year celebration. The authors are charter members of the KCTGA, Cecil Delp and his son, Tony Delp. Extracts from the two Delp reports include the following: In the early summer of 1965, 51 people assembled in Manhattan for a Christmas tree growers meeting. One of the outcomes of this meeting was a decision to form the Kansas Christmas Tree Association. Central to that decision was the formation of a steering committee for purposes of crafting bylaws. Much of the direction leading to an association was fostered by Oscar Urquhart, chairman of Missouri s Christmas Tree Growers Association. Among other things, Urquhart cited seven reasons for forming an association. They were: 1. To help people get started in the business and assist those already growing trees. 2. To set standards. In addition to association counsel, Urquhart advised the following: 1. Produce nothing but quality trees. 2. Exchange problems and ideas. 3. Assist each other in every way possible. 4. Think big. That modest beginning has withstood the test of time. Although the name was changed to Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association in 1979, and member numbers are declining, passion for Urquhart s guidance is evident as at each gathering of the association, the growers share production, maintenance, sales, and other information. Through their camaraderie, it s common to see growers join in scheduling commercial tree shearing contractors, as well as ordering seedlings, chemicals, tree wrap, and other supplies. Moreover, there s significant camaraderie in the Trees for Troops program, and annually sharing the role of providing a locally grown tree to the state Capitol and the Governor s Mansion. Through the years, members have reached outside Kansas by serving as leaders and board members of the National Christmas Tree Growers Association. Moreover, some members have served in the Kansas Legislature. Contact Information: Kansas Forest Service 2610 Claflin Rd. Manhattan, KS (785) KFS@ksu.edu Contributors: Kansas Forest Service Staff To receive an electronic version of this newsletter instead of a paper copy, please contact the Kansas Forest Service by mail, phone, or To educate the buying public. 4. To promote the sale of species grown in the state. 5. To cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies in standard maintenance. 6. To keep members informed concerning research and development. 7. To assist local groups in organizing Christmas tree marketing associations. As novel as it may seem, Kansas without native pines can grow and market Christmas trees. About 10,000 trees were purchased from Kansas Christmas tree farms in In addition, more than 2,000 wreaths were designed, constructed and marketed, and sold to customers as far away as Lubbock, Texas. For more info on the KCTGA, visit their website, kctga.com. Larry Biles, State Forester, oversees all operations of the Kansas Forest Service. To discontinue receiving this newsletter, please contact the Kansas Forest Service by mail, phone, or . 2 The Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association 50th anniversary celebration in January. Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

3 New Kansas Forest Service Employees We would like to welcome Andy Klein and Ashley Stiffarm to the Kansas Forest Service! Andy Klein joined the Kansas Forest Service in January as the water quality forester. He provides professional forestry education and technical assistance to private landowners and cooperating natural resource agencies in Kansas, with geographic emphasis on those watersheds mostly eastern and central Kansas deemed high priority by the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy State Committee. Andy was raised on a farm in central Minnesota, where he roamed the woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands developing his love for the outdoors. He graduated with a bachelor s degree from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls in Before taking on his role with Kansas Forest Service, he worked as a wildland firefighter with the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew based out of Rocky Mountain National Park; as a fire protection specialist for the Kansas Forest Service; and as a soil conservation technician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture s Natural Resources Conservation Service, and How Much Clean Water Can $8 Million Buy? A total of $8 million is available to Kansas farmers, ranchers, and landowners, with up to 90 percent of project costs covered to plant trees and improve woodlands. Funding for the program has been made available through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and is delivered through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The program targets highpriority watersheds in the eastern third of Kansas. A huge number of partners are involved, including local Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy groups (WRAPS) who are providing additional financial incentives on top of EQIP. The Kansas Forest Service at Kansas State University delivers the program through professional foresters that provide on-site visits to help landowners develop project plans. The goal of the program is to improve the overall health of Kansas watersheds above federal reservoirs that provide two-thirds of the water supply to Kansans. These reservoirs are filling up with sediment from failing streambanks. Planting Spring 2016 Issue #58 the Conservation Districts in Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee, Riley and Geary counties. Outside of work, Andy spends as much time as he can with his two young children and wife, fishing, cycling, hunting, paddling, and gardening. Ashley Stiffarm is the new district forester for District 4 in southeast Kansas. She also joined us in January. Stiffarm serves seven counties, assisting landowners with tree planting projects, forest management, Natural Resources Conservation Service cost-share programs, and forest health. Ashley was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She has an associate s degree in natural science and a bachelor s degree in environmental science from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. In 2015, she graduated with a Master of Science in horticulture from K-State. Andy Klein. trees and caring for woodlands can help reduce erosion and in the long term, the expensive cost to dredge reservoirs. To qualify for the program, landowners must own property within an eligible watershed and have a resource concern such as streambank erosion or woodlands in need of improvement. The map on page 5 identifies the eligible watersheds (crosshatched) and the Kansas Forest Service Districts where they occur. Ashley Stiffarm. Larry Biles, State Forester, oversees all operations of the Kansas Forest Service. Landowners who are unsure whether their land falls within an eligible watershed can type in their address at org/streamside_forestry/rcpp.html on the Kansas map located at the bottom of the page. Landowners also can contact the Kansas Forest Service at , or a local county Farm Service Center, Natural Resource Conservation Service office (NRCS), which can also be found on the web at or by calling Interested landowners will need make an appointment at their local continued on page 5 3

4 A bald eagle in flight. Caleb Slemmons, National Ecological Observatory Network, Bugwood.org 4 Forester Highlight: Katy Dhungel Landowner Thoughts About Streamside Vegetation It had been a long day, and I finally finished my last visit and had turned my truck toward home. It was a cold gray day in January, and snow still covered the roads and ground. As I crossed the bridge over the Neosho River and out of Neosho Falls, I looked over and saw lots of gulls flying over the river. I looked to the other side and saw big birds flying; I could tell they weren t turkey vultures. I stopped right on the bridge and got out to get a better look. The big birds turned out to be two juvenile and two adult bald eagles flying and landing in the big trees by the river. As I moved to the edge of the bridge to get a better look, I scared up a great blue heron that had been fishing on the bank. I stood watching the great birds and trying to snap a few pictures until I got cold enough to retreat back into my truck. It had seemed like an empty and still day in the dead of winter to me until these lively active animals reminded me how busy daily life is for Kansas wildlife. I see evidence of the busy goings on of our wildlife each time I step out of my truck. Everything from coyote and coon tracks to deer rubs to blue jays and bald eagles. This encounter with the baldies reminded me that I had actually seen a bald eagle out in the woods the day before along the Marais Des Cygnes River in Linn County. I was up to two bald eagle sightings in riparian forests along two major Kansas rivers in two days! These captivating and impressive animals make their livelihood on the water, fishing and scavenging on aquatic animals, nesting and roosting in the forests that grow along the water s edge. Riparian forests are essential to so much of the Kansas ecosystem. Every watercourse large and small connects upstream with downstream and nearly every part of Kansas life is connected to the water that flows through them. Whatever affects the water also affects all the other interwoven threads in this dense ecological web. Historically, water has been an important issue in our state, but recently, a spotlight has been placed on the resource. The governor released his 50-year water plan, which includes dredging, diversion from the Missouri River, and collaboration among states and agencies. Riparian forests are the first line of defense for water quality and for our states reservoirs. It s far better to hold the river bank in place with tree roots than to dredge it out of the lakes to the tune of millions of taxpayer dollars. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), partnered with the Kansas Forest Service, has a goal of educating people, planting trees, and improving forests on thousands of riparian acres in Kansas. There s a tremendous amount of time and effort underway to get this program off the ground. It will take continued and everexpanding effort by the many dedicated foot soldiers of conservation to make it work. But the most important part is landowner buy-in. After all, government agencies don t make the decision to plant trees, you and your neighbors do. The Kansas Forest Service is here to help you! At the Kansas Forest Service, our motto is Care of Natural Resources and Service to People through Forestry. Our ideals are to: Advocate for ethical land management. Educate the public on the importance of trees and conservation. Share our expertise and land ethic. Help landowners who share our land ethic to do their part to conserve the land they love. Assist landowners already doing their part to utilize the forest resource in a sustainable way. Foster meaningful connections with those who own and work the land and develop a relationship of trust. Earn landowners trust because, like yours, our motives come from a desire to leave the world better than we found it! Katy Dhungel, District Forester, provides direct technical assistance to Kansans in 12 southeast Kansas counties for the Kansas Forest Service. Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

5 Cheyenne Sherman Wallace Greeley Hamilton Stanton Morton Grant Logan Wichita Kearny Stevens Rawlins Thomas Scott Finney Haskell Seward Gove Decatur Sheridan Lane Gray Meade Ness Ford Norton Graham Trego Hodgeman Clark Phillips Rooks Ellis Rush Pawnee Edwards Kiowa Comanche Smith Osborne Russell Barton Pratt Barber Stafford Jewell Mitchell Lincoln Ellsworth Rice Reno Kingman Harper Republic Cloud Ottawa Saline McPherson Harvey Sedgwick Sumner Washington Clay Dickinson Marion Butler Cowley Riley Geary Marshall Morris Chase Pottawatomie Greenwood Elk Lyon Nemaha Chautauqua Jackson Shawnee Wabaunsee Osage Coffey Brown Woodson Wilson Montgomery Atchison Douglas Franklin Anderson Allen Doniphan Jefferson Leavenworth Wyandotte Neosho Labette Johnson Miami Linn Bourbon Crawford Cherokee Clean Water, continued from page 3 NRCS office and complete a Conservation Program Application (CPA-1200 form) to apply for the program. If your land is not included in one of the priority watersheds, funding for forestry practices through EQIP for Forestland Health is available statewide. Kansas Forest Service District Foresters are available to help landowners through that application process. Funding for RCPP/EQIP is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications are processed as they are received. Forestry contractors are also available to undertake projects from start to finish and the majority of their costs are also covered through the program. A list of contractors may be found at consultantsandcontractors.html. There are 19 different eligible NRCS conservation practices in the program that support the implementation of the two most common practices: Riparian Forest Buffers and Forest Stand Improvement. Landowners are reimbursed for their expenses based on regional payment rates. Listed in the adjacent table is a partial listing of some of the payment components that a landowner can choose from to accomplish 8 Spring 2016 Issue #58 7 Kansas Forest Service District Foresters Delivering RCPP/EQIP District 1: Dave Bruton, dbruton@ksu.edu, District 2: Katy Dhungel, kdhungel@ksu.edu, , District 3: Howard Freerksen, hfreerksen@ksu.edu, District 4: Ashley Stiffarm, stiffarm@ksu.edu, District 5: Thad Rhodes, trhodes@ksu.edu, ext District 6: Dennis Carlson, dcarlson@ksu.edu, , ext Activity Mechanical Mowing Herbicides (banding) Weed Barrier Fabric (squares) Mechanical Tree Establishment Tree/Shrub Site Prep (medium) Tree/Shrub Site Prep (heavy) Direct Seeding (riparian buffer) Tree Planting (machine and tubes) Tree Planting (hand/browse protection) Tree Planting (machine) Riparian Forest Buffer Tree (planting, container, and machine) Riparian Forest Buffer Tree (planting, bare root and machine) Barbed Wire Fence (multi strand ) Forest Stand Improvement (single stem) Competition Control, Mechanical (heavy) their project. These are the actual payments rates a landowner could receive. Kansas Forest Service District Foresters are available to meet with landowners on-site to document the resource concern and help select the activities needed for a successful project. Foresters also can help estimate total project costs and will prepare the project plan required for an application to be considered high priority. Any project with a resource concern and plan will most likely be approved for funding. Foresters also can help landowners connect with their local WRAPS groups to explore the opportunity for additional financial support on top of EQIP or landowners can contact Kansas Department of Health and Environment Watershed Management at for more information. This program is designed to improve the overall value of a farming or ranching operation by reducing the loss of valuable farmland through tree planting while increasing the productivity and health of Kansas woodlands. Farmers, ranchers and other landowners will be doing themselves and the state of Kansas a favor by participating in this program. Bob Atchison, Rural Forestry Coordinator, coordinates rural forestry activities for the Kansas Forest Service. Payment $11.62/acre $31.06/acre $1.79/each $151.56/acre $212.72/acre $240.54/acre $741.19/acre $7.20/each $4.07/each $2.14/each $1,809.32/acre $1,125.74/acre $1.31/linear foot $253.58/acre $389.22/acre Tree planting and forest stand improvement will be two of the most common forestry practices accomplished through RCPP/EQIP. 5

6 6 Prepare Now for the Spring Fire Season Spring is here, and soon smoke will be in the air. While we have to maintain the prairie and sustain the Kansas economy, we need to cautiously approach the annual burning of thousands of acres. Now is the time to put in a fuel break. A fuel break differs from a fire break in that it does not require all vegetation to be removed. Make a fuel break by mowing the vegetation as short as possible, then raking the loose fuel to the side to be burned. Raking serves several purposes. First, it reduces the volume of fuel within the prepped area. Secondly, if the A fire break in a wooded area. dead vegetation is removed, that area will green up earlier in the spring. Do not rely solely on the fuel break for complete control of your anticipated burn. Fuel breaks act as strategic defensible landscape to reduce fire speed and severity, and they are only one tool to use. In an ideal setting, it is recommended that the fuel break be on level ground; be ten times wider than the height of the fuel on grass, cropland, or other non-forested sites; and a minimum of 10 feet wide on hardwood forested sites. With increased slope, the width should increase, adding one foot in width for each one percent of slope. These are general recommendations and represent the ideal. If you create a 50- foot wide break, you should have a good break in grazing land or CRP grass. Using the fuel break, you can then put in a black line, (where there is no fuel for the fire) using the edge of the fuel break as the starting point to double or triple the width. By doing so, you have created a fire break and a safe border around your controlled burn. Another way to create a good barrier is to put down a good wet line and back burn against it. This is more labor intensive, but with the right resources, it can be accomplished. Ideally, use two wet lines, and keep the fire between the two lines. There is no ideal width, taking note that heavy fuels and steep slopes require wider space. Always start lighting on the edge of the wet line. It s also recommended to add some form of wetting agent to the water. The simplest and most cost-effective solution is dish soap, and the cheaper the soap, the better it works. Cheap soap has more surfactant, creating more foam. Soap also breaks down the surface tension of the water, allowing it to remain on the vegetation longer. Aerator nozzles work the best. The secret is to get as much air into the water/soap mixture as possible. Land managers sometimes resist the idea of putting in a fire break. The ideal fire break requires all vegetation be removed, and the rational for not using one is understandable. Good management dictates we not disturb native grass in shallow soil, exposing it to wind and water erosion. Cropland can be a good candidate for a fire break. Just before burning, deep disking or plowing provides a clean break from which to light a back fire. One caution with regard to no-till farming and cropland burning: no-till farming leaves large amounts of crop residue. Leaving even a small amount of fuel in the fire break can allow fire to creep across the break, and have disastrous results. Whether you use a fuel break or a fire break depends on the fuel, topography, resources, and anticipated use of the land. If you plan to practice controlled burning this spring, serious consideration should be given to using one of these control practices. In addition to building breaks, always have ample help, water, hand tools, and time. Time is perhaps the one component of controlled burning that gets overlooked. More than just the day of the burn is needed to monitor any fuel that could send sparks into unburned fuel should there be a change in weather conditions. In 2014, Sunday became the busiest day of the week for wildfires. Controlled burns typically occur on Saturday, and landowners assume they re out, but the fire rekindles on Sunday. Rekindled fires are avoidable, and with good patrolling of the perimeter, don t need to happen. This spring when you decide your land needs to be burned, plan ahead, prepare your equipment, and enlist plenty of help so you have a safe and productive year. Ross Hauck, Fire Management Coordinator, directs fire management activities for the Kansas Forest Service. Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service

7 Logs to Lumber What s a Sawyer? A sawyer saws timber for a living. A skilled sawyer was an essential part of commerce for virtually every community throughout the world. It was a physically strenuous and dangerous occupation passed on through years of apprenticeship and training. Fast forward to today and the word sawyer is most often associated with the last name of a fictional character created by Mark Twain. In Kansas, there are currently two fulltime sawmills with three to six employees that produce mostly pallet-grade lumber. However, increasing stands of diverse timber as well as recent advances in bandsaw technology have created opportunities for one- or two-person operations. Most sawyers are parttime or weekend warriors with a range of interests, backgrounds, and capabilities. The simplest operations rely on manual band saws to produce roughcut and green lumber. Mills with automated Sixteen-foot green ash log about to be sawn. Off-loading 16 board-feet of pecan lumber. functions can quickly and efficiently convert logs into lumber. Local sawmills gladly custom saw logs that are too short, too crooked, or a species that is not available elsewhere such as red mulberry, Osageorange, or honeylocust. In addition, several mills offer value-added services like kiln drying, planing, and custom woodworking to produce unique mantels, tabletops, benches, flooring, paneling, or whatever the client wants. Regardless of the mill, a common trait among all sawyers is their enthusiasm and passion for wood. So the next time the wind blows down a northern red oak planted by Great Grandpa back in 1927, or the utility company removes the sycamore in the backyard, consider it an opportunity to create a family heirloom. Today s sawyer is capable of producing a variety of high-quality wood products from local woodlots, windbreaks, and urban forests in a sustainable and environmentally sensitive manner. Landowners, builders, hobbyists, woodworkers, and homeowners are encouraged to peruse the list of more than 50 sawmills for technical and contact information on the Kansas Forest Service website: Kevin E. Church, Ph.D., Sawyer and Kansas Forestry Association Board Member, Tallgrass Custom Wood Products, Emporia, Kansas. 7 Spring 2016 Issue #58

8 Kansas Canopy Kansas Forest Service 2610 Claflin Road Manhattan, KS Nonprofit Organization US Postage Paid Permit #525 Manhattan, KS Notice of nondiscrimination K State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, John D. Floros, Director. Links of Interest: Kansas Forest Service K State Research and Extension State of Kansas Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism ksoutdoors.com Natural Resources Conservation Service Kansas Farm Service Agency Kansas 8 Now through May 2, 2016 Order Conservation Tree Seedlings. Order online at: or call March State Capitol Area Firefighters Association Fire School Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute. Topeka. Contact or jlummis@ku.edu March Tree City USA Recognition Day. Newton, KS. Contct Tim McDonnell, , ext. 202 or tmcdonne@k-state.edu April 2-3 Kansas State Firefighters Association Regional Fire School. Johnson City, KS. Contact Troy Wolf, or wolffire66@hotmail.com April Kansas State Firefighters Association Conference. Wichita, KS. Contact Steve Hirsch, , ksffasecretary@sbcglobal.net April 29 Kansas Arbor Day. State Arbor Day for Kansas: Last Friday in April, May 12 Agroforestry Field Day Workshop. Registration required. Ness County, KS. Contact Bob Atchison, , atchison@ksu.edu May Kansas State Firefighters Association Regional Fire School. Wakeeney, KS. Contact Justin Couse, , justincouse1973@hotmail.com For a current listing of events, check: Kansas Canopy: Newsletter of the Kansas Forest Service